dkkim73

Not a terrible idea. I inherited toolboxes and good machine tools from a beloved grandfather-in-law (WWII vet and former Boeing machinist). Reloading supplies from an older gent with whom I just started talking while picking up used parts, etc. Drive-by discussions, etc. I wouldn't even have a hangar space now if I didn't tend to follow up introductions. Esp. with all the great insight and experience in older pilots. I have a prejudice, probably a bit curmudgeonly, that really values the older pilots I've run into. e.g. my AK instrument instructor. Generally a gracious group that just wants to see GA survive and thrive. FWIW also good to offer resources to neighbors... maybe a good intro to tool-sharing? Lord knows I can never equip everything I want. Man, this thread makes me want to find a way to buy my own hangar.

OK, I'll bite as a new owner. Is there anything about our planes that makes this more likely than in, say, the PA-28's? Is it a known weak point?

That "fools think they're clever as their cars try to kill them" video is sobering. That type is soooo familiar to me from prior lives. I don't have a Tesla. I know a number of enthusiasts. Setting aside the prior-facts green agenda (notwithstanding child strip mining of lithium and simply displacing the generation problem), I think a big segment of Tesla people are simply enthusiasts. It's a hobby. A64Pilot is a clearly widely experienced and discerning guy, and he loves his car. It really is very cool. It is a different way to approach the car problem. The product lifecycle of new features is so much faster than my boring 2015 Acura. Of course the Acura hasn't tried to kill me ;). Why not? It's boring, it's an Acura. That's what they do (except the NSX, both models of which are things of engineering beauty). The same stupid ECU behaviors will persist for years. I'm sure I'd enjoy a Tesla a lot more in some ways. Acceleration in any sporting EV is great. I was actually into EVs back in the old hobbyist days, used to visit local meets, etc. Tesla makes no sense for where I live, finances, and mission profile. It makes a lot of sense where I used to live *if I didn't already own a car*. It is worth factoring in the emotional aspect of vehicle ownership. I can enjoy my friends' model X's and P90's and 3's without having one myself. And I really don't want remote corporate control, or some smart 30 yr-old in Silicon Valley killing my family with an OTA update. I can't believe it's legal for people to do what they do with the self-driving feature. They need a good beating IMHO, or at least prosecution off those videos. D

Answering based on recollections of a club hangar and maintenance, and general garage thoughts: Most specifics already suggested. I remember needing a lot of cleaning supplies. Practically, I would say prioritize things that 1. can keep you from having to run home, to the HW store, convenience store, etc. Time is life and if it's not convenient, you might postpone it, 2. things that make the environment pleasant and easy to work in. Looks like a fun project! I'm going to board for a while but look forward to a dedicated hangar some day... ETA: please post pics when you're done! Airplane pics, Snap-On calendar, Minion statues for the kids, BBQ grill...

Blame me. More than a little drift; I've already accidentally landed on a parallel threadway...

@wombat Thoughtful response. So, do you "minimize" switching tanks in flight, IAW points #2 and #3? Ie. not do it unless you have an operational need so as one tank running low or a noticable lateral imbalance?

That is a great song. I only hope there are crevices where some freedom and creativity can survive. I kind of think that song and The Hunger Games are an optimistic take, some days. Vs. architectures of total ambient control. Funny, I was in a nice deli thinking about all the anti-meat messaging out there and found myself humming about "a brilliant pink porchetta from a better vanished time..." (Rush nerds FTW). DK

I spent a few years in and around the startup scene in the mid-latter 2010's. I recall a conversation I was invited to at a venture-incubator around mining data from medical equipment. More for failure prediction rather than bio-data. One of the sharper guys kept talking about all the "data exhaust" in the world and how to mine and monetize it. So that article talks a lot about using your personal data, probably in some way like grocery store discount programs. Cross-tie to other databases and build a marketing profile. I think the darker side has to do with "enforcement". Or really control. It would start as a discount and then become more punitive over time. The central blue/green bureaucrats will decide that you really don't need to drive that fast or far, after it's societally irresponsible and who are you to have such privilege? Esp. with your low social credit score. Deactivated. Throttled back. Good thing they aren't looking quite as hard at GA. Paranoid, sure, but maybe not enough. We have new tenants in a suburban homestead we worked on for years. It has great network infrastructure, but they are so excited to connect all sorts of appliances. E.g. the thermostat, so the utilities can turn it down for them. Networked everything. And with all the debanking and whatnot over the last couple years, who knows. London already has zones where you simply cannot drive certain vehicles. I am with the gent talking about his 2003 Tundra. That's about as much comms as I want the car's ECU to have. Sure, add 4G/5G and other RF, but under your own terms. Also, just wait until the first bad over-the-air firmware update borks a bunch of vehicles

@PeteMc Your advice to the OP caught my eye as well. I'm looking at the schedule and trying to figure out if I can get to one. As you seem familiar with the program: Do you happen to know if they ever offer options to train in provided (rental) aircraft? It's obviously less valuable as it's less specific, but I'm thinking about the logistics of punching a 3-day hole in my work schedule vs. more time to fly out and back. Will definitely try to get to one in the coming year, sometime after initial transition training. David

Ah, the bureaucratic mind. Even if you find a reasonable individual, you can see the mental strain that discussing it causes them. Notice something else? The little rules always accrete, and never get pared back. Seen it in medicine, seen it in government/mil. This is a big reason IMO to resist adding rigid rules in every organization you touch. There is always an excuse to keep it ("security", "liability", "safety" [love that one]...) And to keep it on topic (ish): I recently tried to test my new Sentry Plus on a commercial flight. I admitted to some trepidation as I got some funny looks from the other passengers And you never know when to joke in those situations, esp. these days. "I'm remotely controlling the plane, where do you want to go?"

Not an immediate need for me, but following the thread with interest for a number of reasons. I agree with Ray's point about reasonability. Naïve question: if STC's can be obtained by 3rd-party suppliers and retrofitters, where is the threshold that is crossed requiring manufacturer involvement? Ie. could an ad hoc corporation (say of Mooney owners) do a project to achieve this? I'm not saying it wouldn't be much easier for Mooney, just curious. Or is there a separate category where it is more deeply "baked into" the type certificate in this case? Or maybe even contractual with Garmin? Much simpler question: Can any sort of external keyboard be added to the G1000? I've always thought a keyboard for an FMS would be a useful thing, looking at those Ultra and Cirrus photos (though it sounds like you didn't like it very much). David

Thanks for the info. Makes a lot of sense for the type. Looking at the logbook entries, it's unclear to me what's "normal process" and what's an option. David

Really very helpful people here.

I bought a 2009 Type S (N2903G), WAAS from the factory, TKS and speed brakes added shortly thereafter. Seems like a good plane from good people, not flown as much recently but going to rectify that. Hold on? Yes, I alternately am excited and slightly concerned reading this forum

I used to wonder what it was like to have curly hair. Then I read your post. Now I know. Curly and blown back at the same time...

Thank you! That was a fine listen. I'd never heard it before. Had some other thoughts but not going to spoil it for anyone who hasn't listened!

@tracer773 I recently bought an Acclaim, really can't wait to fly it. (So what do I know?) This discussion made me think of the discussion thread(s) I posted and a lot of thoughtful advice. It feels a little bit like deja vu incl a lot of the alternatives you are considering. I was hard-selling myself, in the end, on FIKI TKS and turbocharging/normalizing because of my locale and primary zones of operation. It sounds like you're really a lot more flexible on that. In addition to the above, if you're flex on the turbo, esp. in KY, you might consider the Ovation? People in the know really seem to love them, and they would seem to offer significantly lower cost of acquisition and operation, while still allowing airframes new enough to have fewer troubles, but old enough to be more affordable. Also with or without G1000. Food for thought. David

Well, another thing to be concerned with. What's the best way to get a parts manual and a maintenance manual? Are those factory items? I'm kind of a nerd for good maintenance manuals but, even for cars, they are hard to find sometimes.

I would be surprised if there were not significant consultant opportunities for anyone with such focal domain knowledge and a helpful instinct. Thank you! Much obliged for clarifying that hanging question. David

"Aye, and if my grandmother had wheels, she'd be a wagon!"

Thank you for the detailed reply! Yes, the plane is WAAS-enabled (from the factory, so with VNAV), with SVT unlock shortly thereafter. System version was 0401-34, being upgraded to 0401-37 at the Mooney factory service center now. Yes, the unit is the GSM 85, the write-up is "Roll and Pitch Trim GFC700 GSM 85 clutch mount failed clutch torque test and adjustment." so exactly as you describe. They list part # 011-00894-09 to fix. So I am thinking it is the repair/exchange as you describe (going to get an update soon as they had been waiting to speak with Garmin going into the holiday). Hopefully that helps clarify your assumptions, which I think are correct. As for the upgrade possibility, it sounds like it's possible but requires a bulletin/approval? Someone suggested it would likely be expensive and not worth "the squeeze". David PS. And congrats on retirement!

I just bought a Mooney and found many of the reasons John listed compelling. Also, for some mission-specific reasons. So I'm obviously pro-Mooney in the balance. But this line caught my eye. I did a lot of my instrument rating training in Archers and Warriors. They are very stable, forgiving, docile airplanes with charming if sedate personalities. So I could see an insurance advantage, though the RG nature might offset that. I was part of a club, so not as aware of maintenance and ownership costs with Pipers. But it also might make for a less stressful flying experience in some cases. So I guess my point is, the flying might be easier and slower in general, with a bit of a speed boost in cruise for the RG aspect over an Archer. But it might fit your mission better? I know I'm less intimidated by the idea of jumping in a straightleg C172, or even C182 in terms of having to be "on game" all the time. For sporty, in terms of IFR-capable platforms, I don't think it's a question

Does anyone know if it is possible to do a wired connection (RS-232) from one of the G1000 boxes to an Aera cradle for flight plan cross-loading? (to get around the lack of Flight Stream support) I realize others are discussing G3's and GTN's, so I might be conflating things. D

When I went to redeem the DB purchase, it requires me to choose between Americas vs. US only (AOPA) airport directories, and also for terrain you can choose 30 vs 9+4.9 arc-second resolutions. Is this purely a personal need/preference thing, or is there some subtle trade-off that comes with space or capability on the original G1000 units? (the plane is a 2009) Wonky question, but trying to figure it out and figured someone else had more insight. Unclear if this is alterable later. David

Yes, I did, with both (still need to find a good data plan, but GPS and Wifi work great). IIUC I can use it with the GTX 345R (Jeff at Mooney is checking to make sure it has an RF-lucent panel between the transponder in the tail and where I'll sit). Also have a recent Sentry which works nicely, though I may return it given all the various options and recommendation to use a more sensitive CO detector. When I said portable (to @EricJ's question above) I was thinking of a dedicated aviation GPS unit, e.g. an Aera or similar, with controlled firmware for a somewhat higher level of reliability than an iPad, where IMHO there will always be some higher risk of interactional bugs etc. I did not look at some of the other dedicated EFB options... I think those options mentioned are apps. Though TY for the point-out to Avare, since my phone runs an Android fork. BTW I did just buy a OnePak (from Garmin, so Garmin data and FliteCharts). Appreciate the inputs on the chart choices. That will give me the familiar govt charts on the G1000 as a fallback, whatever I go with externally. Also a DB subscription for an external GPS. Sounds like I should try Garmin Pilot to see how it feels vs. ForeFlight (the commonality point is a good one). If I had to choose right now, I am thinking the Aera would be a good choice. Oddly, lots of models mentioned but only two listed for sale on Garmin's site. Thanks, David